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Have you ever wondered why some sneakers hang electric cables on the streets? This phenomenon, far from being harmless, intrigues and arouses many interpretations. Is it a simple game, a tribute or a coded message? This symbol, visible in many cities of the world, hides far deeper meanings than it seems.
A mysterious tradition: where does this happen come from?
This phenomenon, known as shoefiti (shoe contraction for shoe and graffiti for urban art), was born in the United States in the 1970s before spreading elsewhere. But why throw sneakers in the air to hang them on electric wires? The reasons vary from place to place and from cultural to cultural background.
If, in some areas, it is only a simple prank or a ritual between young people elsewhere, these suspended shoes can have much more serious connotations, ranging from territorial marking to coded message.
Territorial Gang Marking
In some sensitive neighbourhoods, these shoes are used as a symbol of territory by gangs or criminal groups. They can indicate several things:
